Tag Archives: SFP-10G-SR

SFP+ transceiver in short stands for enhanced Small Form-factor Pluggable transceiver. As an enhanced version of SFP, the SFP+ transceiver is also a compact, hot pluggable optic module transceiver. The SFP+ can be used for telecommunications and data communication applications. With various standards, the SFP+ transceiver can be classified differently. In this text, we mainly focus on the SFP+ transceiver’s host interface, data rate, application, and distance.

Types of SFP+ Transceiver

Classified by host interface, the SFP+ fiber optic transceiver can be divided into linear and limiting transceivers. The linear SFP+ module is most appropriate for 10GBase-LRM; otherwise, a limiting module is preferred with the reason that it contains a signal amplifier to re-shape the degraded (received) signal whereas linear does not.

Classified by data rate, the SFP+ transceiver can still be put into three types: 8.5Gb/s SFP+, 10Gb/s SFP+, 16Gb/s SFP+. With its fast development, many vendors can provide a customized one to meet their customers’ different demands.

Classified by application, BiDi SFP+ modules, CWDM SFP+ modules, DWDM SFP+ modules, and other common SFP+ optical transceivers are covered. Considering CWDM and DWDM SFP+ transceivers, they are regarded as the most convenient and cost-effective choices for a campus, data-center, and metropolitan-area access networks using 10 Gigabit Ethernet, with a transmission speed up to 11.25G. The CWDM SFP+ transceiver is designed for bi-directional (BIDI) serial optical data communications such as IEEE 802.3ae 10GBASE-LR/LW/ER. It can support 18 wavelengths from 1270 nm to 1610 nm and has steps of 20 nm, with a transmission distance from 20 km to 80 km. The DWDM SFP+ transceiver is specifically designed for carriers and large enterprises that require a scalable, flexible, cost-effective system for multiplexing, transporting and protecting high-speed data, storage, voice and video applications in point-to-point, add/drop, ring, mesh and star network topologies. It supports more than 40 channels with a transmission distance up to 80 km. As for the BiDi SFP+ transceiver, it’s the enhanced small form-factor pluggable fiber transceiver designed for bi-directional 10G serial optical data communications. Working over one fiber, the BiDi SFP+ uses WDM technology sharing transmission directions into wavelengths of 1270 nm and 1330 nm with a distance up to 10 km, 20 km, 40 km, or 60 km.

Classified by wavelength, 10G SFP+ can be grouped into short wavelength SFP+, long wavelength SFP+ and extra long one. For example, SFP-10G-SR belongs to the short wavelength (850 nm), supporting multimode fiber, such as OM3 (300 m) and OM4 (400 m). Besides, the 10G SFP+ copper also belongs to the short one. With an RJ45 connector, it is specifically designed for high-speed communication links that require 10 Gigabit Ethernet over Cat 6a/7 cable with a link limit of 30 m. While SFP-10G-LR can support a long wavelength and a long distance up to 10 km by using a single-mode fiber. For extra long wavelength and extended reach, 10GBASE-ER SFP+ can reach 40 km with the wavelength of 1550 nm by using a single-mode fiber, and also the 10GBASE-ZR SFP+ belongs to the extra long one, which can support the wavelength of 1550 nm with a distance up to 80 km.

Figure 2: 10G copper SFP+ and RJ45 Ethernet cable

Conclusion

With the above introduction, we will have a basic idea of what the SFP+ transceiver is and how many types it has. Since the SFP+ transceiver enjoys lots of strengths, such as high density, low cost, and low power consumption, it has been frequently used in the fiber communications industry. Now that the SFP+ possesses a wide range of types, it can meet their different needs. There is no need to doubt the SFP+ transceiver will keep releasing a huge potential in the future.

SFP-10G-SR is a popular 10G SFP+ optical transceiver in terms of quantity used. It is considered as the mainstream form factor of the 2017 market due to its matured technology and reduced price, even although 40G/100G optical modules are on the very top trend for enterprise and data center for the interconnection. But two years ago, Cisco introduced S-class optics such as SFP-10G-SR-S for enterprise and data center applications. For some web searchers, he will be recommended with SFP-10G-SR-S rather than SFP-10G-SR. But they almost share the same characteristics, so SFP-10G-SR-S vs SFP-10G-SR, why choose one over the other? Hope this post may give some clue.

SFP-10G-SR-S vs SFP-10G-SR: Similarity

Seemingly and technically, they don’t have much difference. SFP-10G-SR-S shares the same product specification with SFP-10G-SR. SFP-10G-SR is compliant with 10GBASE-SR standard. The Cisco 10GBASE-SR module supports a link length of 26m on standard Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI)-grade multimode fiber, up to 300m link lengths over OM3 and 400m link lengths over OM4 cables.

Cisco SFP-10G-SR transceiver is hot-swappable input/output device which allows a 10 Gigabit Ethernet port to link with a fiber optic network. Because it is hot-swappable and MSA compliant, the Cisco SFP-10G-SR transceiver can be plugged directly into any Cisco SFP+ based transceiver port, without the need to power down the host network system. This capability makes moves, add-ons and exchanges quick and painless.

SFP-10G-SR-S vs SFP-10G-SR: Difference

According to Cisco, S-class optics are intended for enterprise and data center 10G and 40G applications This new set of optics does not display several unnecessary features for these applications, bringing about a more attractive price. That explains why SFP-10G-SR-S price is lower than SFP-10G-SR price.

Except the price, there are some other differences. SFP-10G-SR-S optics aren’t TAA certified. However, the non-S-class optics such as SFP-10G-SR are all compliant to TAA. SFP-10G-SR-S optics only have COM (Commercial temperature range: 0~70℃). However, the temperature range of SFP-10G-SR can be EXT (Extended temperature range: -5~85℃), IND (Industrial temperature range: -40~85℃) and Storage temperature range (-40~85℃). In terms of protocols, SFP-10G-SR-S optics use Ethernet only, they cannot use OTN (Optical Transport Network) or WAN-PHY (Wide Area Network Physics). Furthermore, SFP-10G-SR-S optics just have 10G and 40G applications so far which is specified for 10G and 40G enterprise and data center. Thus, if you don’t need any special features like extra tolerance for temperature, S-Class optics can save you a considerable amount of money.

SFP-10G-SR Price Comparison

Since equipment SFP-10G-SR vendors all rely on MSAs when designing their transceivers, every supplier can produce the transceiver modules with the same functions but with different prices. Unless you have a 100% requirement to buy Cisco, there are a lot of 3rd party compatible vendors out there that you can save a lot of money by using. Here is a price list from different vendors for you to choose from.

Vendor

Model

Brand

Price

CDW

SFP-10G-SR

Cisco

$693.99

Router-Switch

SFP-10G-SR

Cisco

$262.00

Monoprice

SFP-10G-SR

Ironlink

$136.75

10Gtek

SFP-10G-SR

10Gtek

$41.05

FS.COM

SFP-10G-SR

FS.COM

$16.00

SFP-10G-SR-S vs SFP-10G-SR, Which Will You Choose?

Although SFP-10G-SR-S vs SFP-10G-SR, they share identical specification, there still are some minor difference. In most cases, SFP-10G-SR-S optics are recommended for 10G and 40G applications due to its low cost. both SFP-10G-SR price and SFP-10G-SR-S price is relatively lower according to the above chart, and they also enjoy good quality. If you need any third-party optical modules or fiber optic cables, give FS.COM a shot.